


Payback

by Keitorin



Category: One Piece
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Gift Giving, Hide and Seek, Humor, M/M, Mugiwara no Ichimi | Straw Hat Pirates, Nail Polish, One Shot, Past Tense, Payback, Pirates, Pranks and Practical Jokes, Pre-Relationship, Swearing, Sweet, Timeline What Timeline, Wordcount: 500-1.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-09-20
Updated: 2011-09-20
Packaged: 2017-10-23 22:10:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/255579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Keitorin/pseuds/Keitorin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Payback is a bitch, except when it's the good kind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Payback

**Author's Note:**

> _Written in 2009. Pre-Chopper and Robin._
> 
> You can get ideas from the strangest places. This was a lot of fun to write, and my first time really writing these characters.

Zoro was known for napping deeply throughout the day. Even Luffy carrying on wasn't enough to wake him to complain. The only real thing that could wake him up was real danger and the offer of food and/or booze.

So when a shadowed figured stepped lightly up to him and hunkered down, fiddling with something for a moment before reaching for a hand, he didn't wake. Even when the figure couldn't hold back a snicker as they retreated the way they'd come.

"Oi, marimo. Food."

The love-cook was standing over Zoro with his hands on his hips. Zoro responded by letting out a yawn, stretching a bit and rubbing his eyes.

"What the hell is on your nails?" Sanji's sudden shriek made Zoro glance up, frowning in question. He raised his hand up to see what the cook was talking about, and saw immediately what was wrong.

"Huh, that shade doesn't look so bad on you, marimo- _chan_." Zoro could practically hear the smirk in the shit-cook's tone.

Zoro growled as he stood quickly on his feet, stalking off to find the perpetrator.

She was sitting at her dresser, running a brush through her orange hair. When she saw Zoro storming into the room, she just smirked.

"That's what you get for thinking you could thieve beli without me noticing."

Zoro held himself back from attacking the woman. Barely.

"How do I get this shit off, woman." He growled, holding up his hands to reveal his nails, shining with green nail polish.

"You give me my beli back, and I'll give you the nail polish remover." She set her brush down and waited patiently.

Zoro could technically just search for the stuff himself, but he had _some_ scruples, unlike the real thief in front of him.

"Can't, I spent it."

Reluctantly, Zoro fished in a pocket, bringing out a package of cigarettes. Nami stared in surprise.

After a moment, her face changed as she realized that Zoro, being who he was, would never risk his health. And the brand was Sanji's. That could only mean...

"How sweet of you, Zoro. However, _I_ have no need of cigarettes, so I guess this means you owe me." Nami grinned dangerously. Zoro clenched his jaw and made to move forward, scruples be damned.

"Oii, kuso marimo- _chan_ , dinner! Ah, Nami-swan! You can take your time~!"

Zoro scowled and stomped out of the room. He would get the nail polish remover one way or another later.

* * *

"Oi Luffy, watch where you're going." Zoro called out as Luffy came tearing across the deck calling for Usopp and bumping into him.

Luffy paused mid-stride, wide grin on his face.

"Gomen, gomen! Eh? What's that on your nails, Zoro?" He leaned in to get a closer look.

"Nothing!" Zoro barked out, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

Sanji popped his head out of the kitchen to see what the hold up was. His glance was drawn to something on the floor.

"Hey marimo, you dropped something." Sanji bent down to pick up the square box that had fallen out of Zoro's pocket when Luffy had knocked into him. "Ah, cigarettes!"

Zoro remained quiet, his face turning a pale shade of pink, as the other man looked the box over. He focused his gaze somewhere over the blond's left shoulder.

Zoro had heard the cook complain that morning that he'd run out. Last time they'd stopped for supplies, Zoro had bought a carton on a whim after spotting them in the store. He'd planned on leaving them somewhere for Sanji to find later.

Sanji looked up at Zoro.

"Did you get these for me?"

Zoro shrugged. He expected Sanji to rant about him holding them back for leverage or something, but the man seemed at a lost for words for once.

"Well. Thank you." He turned and headed back to the kitchen, already taking a cigarette out of the pack.

When Luffy, who'd been watching with open curiosity, saw where the blond was headed, he quickly followed.

"Hey Sanji, can I have a snack?"

"You just ate!"

"Yeah, but I'm hungry."

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

"Like what?"

"Never mind." Sanji sighed and opened the kitchen door, Luffy eagerly entering.

Just before going in himself, Sanji turned back to Zoro.

"Here." The blond tossed him a bottle of some pink liquid. "For your nails." He offered, grinning.

Zoro looked down at the label in surprise, and then looked up gratefully. Sanji just nodded, patted the pocket now holding his pack of cigarettes, and disappeared into the kitchen.

Zoro went to the bathroom to scrub the sickly green stuff off of his nails.

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

Usopp fanned himself with his hand for the fifth time. The storage closet was stuffy and uncomfortable.

"Luffy, you suck at hide-and-seek!"

**Author's Note:**

>  **Disclaimer:** I don't claim to own One Piece. I write for fun, not profit.


End file.
